Love at Midnight by Nola Saint James

On By TracyIn Christmas, Georgian Era (1714-1837), Non-Traditional Romance, Paranormal / Fantasy, Romantasy, Standalone Title, Tracy's Reviews, Young AdultLeave a comment

Love at Midnight: A Regency Christmas RomantasyLove at Midnight: A Regency Christmas Romantasy by Nola Saint James

Tracy’s Rating: 3 of 5 stars

Series: Standalone

Release Date: October 16, 2025

When Miss Grace Cooper, daughter of the late Viscount & Viscountess Shelbourne and heiress learns that her estate trustees are planning to marry her off sight unseen to a man of their choosing in just a few months, she knows that she will have to take matters into her own hands if she wants to marry her true love. The real problem is she doesn’t know who her true love is! Her housekeeper has been like a surrogate mother to her and vows to help her find her true love and suggests she meet with Mommia Ravenal, a Roma lady with the gift of sight, perhaps she can point Grace in the direction of her true love. Mommia does give her good news, her true love is near, but Grace will have to find him on her own.

Harold Picton AKA Hal Ravenal is the Earl of Langafel, however, he was not raised to be the earl. His parents eloped as their families didn’t approve of their love, sadly both his parents died shortly after his birth, and he was raised by a childless couple in the village. When he turned 18 his foster parents told him of his family – his father was heir to the Earl of Langafel and his mother was a member of the Roma Ravenal clan. He tracks down his mother’s clan and learns he has a gift with horses. He is happy to be reunited with his mother’s family and is content to build a life with them, but when Mommia, the matriarch of the clan demands he attend her, he knows this life is about to change. He learns that his paternal grandfather has died and he is now the earl. Being the earl means leaving the clan, but Mommia tells him that he won’t be alone, his true love is near and when he finds her, she will be the helpmate he needs to take up his title. Now he just needs to find her…

This was not your typical romance story, but it was an interesting story with very likable characters, not all of whom are human. The main characters don’t meet right away and there are a lot of things going on aside from Grace and Hal trying to find their true loves. Interwoven in the love story is a Norwegian legend about animals speaking to humans on Christmas eve as well as the Ravenal paranormal gifts. I liked this story, but it meandered all over the place, personally, I would have preferred the focus of the story to be the romance and have more of a connection between Grace and Hal, rather than relying on the love at first sight / true love trope. Overall, it was a unique read and if you are looking for something a bit different, you might want to give this book a try.

*I am voluntarily leaving a review for an eARC that I requested and was provided to me by the publisher/author. All opinions in this review are my own. *

The Cursed Divination by Lana Williams

On By BarbaraIn Barb's Reviews, Historical Mystery, Part of a Series, Victorian Era (1837-1901)Leave a comment

The Cursed Divination (Field & Greystone, #5)Barbara’s rating: 4.5 out of 5 Stars
Series: Field and Greystone #5
Publication Date: 11/25/25
Period: Victorian London
Number of Pages: 321

Murder and mayhem hit a bit too close to home in this fifth addition to the excellently written Field and Greystone series. Inspector Henry Field wonders whether he should hand the investigation over to another detective, yet he can’t bring himself to step aside when the victim is a family friend and justice feels personal.

Neither Henry nor Mrs. Amelia Greystone is certain what to believe about mediums, spirit communication, or any form of after-death messages. So when a medium contacts Amelia claiming to know the location of a body, Amelia feels compelled to reach out to Henry. Is this woman chasing publicity and hoping Amelia will write about her—or is she truly gifted? When the body appears exactly where the medium predicted, they’re forced to consider a darker possibility: is she communing with the dead, or is she involved in murder?

While the investigation stalls, Henry is summoned by the Tisdales, long-time friends whose daughter has gone missing. He agrees to take the case, only to find himself with yet another mystery that leads nowhere. Then Mrs. Nettle, the medium, resurfaces. The spirits, she claims, have revealed the location of another body—again in the same place as before. Her eerie revelations ignite two grisly murder inquiries and raise one pressing question: is she genuine, or a dangerous fraud?

Henry and Amelia find themselves stumped for much of the book. No clues, no connections between victims—only the medium linking the crimes. Both Henry and Amelia have suspicions about the culprit, but without evidence, their instincts aren’t enough.

This is an excellently written mystery with strong pacing, relatable characters, and an engaging investigation. I especially loved watching the relationship between Henry and Amelia deepen, as well as the developing camaraderie between Henry, the medical examiner, and Sergeant Fletcher.
Suspense, twists, red herrings, and atmospheric tension make this a gripping read. I hope you enjoy it as much as I did. Happy reading!

I voluntarily read an early copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

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